Author Archives: Miriam Sandiford

Introducing LGBT+ History Month 2024

What is LGBT+ History Month?

LGBT+ History Month takes place every February in the UK and is a month-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ identity and observance of the injustices and discrimination faced by the community in the past, and faced by many still to this day. LGBTQIA+ people have the right to live their lives as their true, authentic selves free of fear, discrimination or harassment and one of the goals of LGBT+ History Month is to move us as a culture towards a society that is kinder and fairer to LGBTQIA+ people.

The 2024 theme is Medicine – #UnderTheScope and it celebrates LGBTQIA+ peoples’ contribution to the field of Medicine and Healthcare both historically and today.

This year, LGBT+ History Month wants to showcase the amazing work of LGBT+ staff across the NHS and in other healthcare settings, in providing healthcare, especially during the pandemic. The Month also aims to shine a light on the history of the LGBTQIA+ community’s experience of receiving healthcare, which has been extremely complicated and leaves LGBTQIA+ people still facing health inequalities even today.

What’s on at Kent

At Kent, LGBT+ History Month is organised by the University of Kent, Kent Union and the Students’ Unions at Medway. Events are open for staff and students and the vast majority are free. See all LGBT+ History Month events.

Key events include:

The LGBTQ+ In Lockdown Exhibition, available to view in the KMMS Pears Building showcasing the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students during the Covid pandemic, the LGBTQ+ In Lockdown exhibition is a powerful reflection on identity, isolation and time experienced by so many LGBTQIA+ people during the pandemic.

There is an LGBTQIA+ Careers Fair at Medway where you can meet employers from 20+ Stalls from Stonewall accredited organisations to showcase their work, their EDI commitment and any placements or roles they have currently.

There are loads of Give it A Go and crafting activities taking place at both the Canterbury and Medway sites; from friendship bracelet making to flag making and pronoun badge making. Check the website for dates and times.

Loughborough academic Dr Jo Harper will be giving a talk about her research into the impact of testosterone in sports and the culture, attitudes and barriers for transgender athletes.

There are film screenings at the Gulbenkian Cinema for Femme and All Of Us Strangers and loads of fun craft activities that celebrate LGBTQIA+ identity.

What support is available to me?

We have a large number of resources available to support LGBTQIA+ students at Kent and can signpost to external resources.
Kent Union run the LGBTQIA+ Network to act as a voice for LGBTQIA+ students.
The University has the LGBTQ+ Staff Network, open to any staff member who identifies as LGBTQIA+. The Network hold regular social activities for members and Allies.
The University runs a Gender Affirmation Fund for students who identify as trans, non-binary or gender queer.
The University has an Inclusive Language Guide to help support staff and students in developing their Inclusive Language skills. Keep a look out for a future blog post in LGBT+ History Month with more information.
The Canterbury Trans Network runs a bi-monthly social on campus
The Kent Union LGBT+ History Month webpages feature a Curiosity Hub, designed to display dozens of films, books, podcasts, celebrities and more – all handpicked by staff and students at Kent, with each recommendation relating to LGBT+ History Month and Pride. There are even hand-out resources as well as links to the various schemes that are available to support LGBTQIA+ students at Kent.

What do I do if I have experienced prejudice or discrimination?

We are committed to ensuring that all students and staff are supported at Kent and can study and work to their fullest potential. We also take discrimination, harassment and bullying extremely seriously. If you feel that you have been subjected to any form of bullying or discrimination due to your LGBTQIA+ identity, please do report it via the Report and Support tool. This will trigger an investigation and support for you, although you can do report anonymously if you prefer.

Look out for more blog posts and information over the course of the month, and we hope you enjoy LGBT+ History Month.

What do I do if I want more information?

If you have any comments or feedback about this month’s activity, or any other History Month or equality, diversity or inclusion related activity, please do email EqualityandDiversity@kent.ac.uk.

Kent Union’s LGBTQIA+ Student Voices Project

The LGBTQIA+ Student Voices Project is an important research piece which is part of Kent Union’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. The project leans into understanding students within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual plus community, in the hopes to understand their barriers to education & engagement and overall areas to improve their student experience. This project will have an important focus on the Transgender student experience, as we know they are one of the most marginalised in society.

This Inclusive Project mirrors our Black Student Voices Project, which will be led by three Student Researchers that will create events and gather data in a published report. We are still devising questions to answer within the research, and aim to embark on outreach activities to engage the students within the community. This research will produce recommendations for the Union and University to be held accountable and to better the lives of LGBTQIA+ Students at Kent.

Events to be announced soon – add your email to stay up to date.

Kent CyberAnything competition (cash prizes available!)

Together with KMCC (Kent & Medway Cyber Cluster) and KMCS3 (Kent & Medway Cyber Security Student Society), iCSS, is co-organising a CyberAnything Competition.

We increasingly rely upon digital, networked and smart technologies such as mobile devices and the internet to live our lives. Or we can say that we are living in the Internet of Everything (IoE), a cyber-physical world where so many hardware devices, software systems, physical things, systems and people are now interconnected. However, the cyber elements of our lives and how security, privacy and safety of such elements affect our lives are not always visible or overlooked, and sometimes intentionally concealed. They are often so entrenched in our way of being that we overlook our reliance upon them until they stop functioning, e.g., when a power cut, server downtime or an empty battery hits us.

How to enter

This competition welcomes anything that is cyber-related in our daily lives. You can use your camera or other image-capturing device to capture a moment as a photo or a short video, or create a drawing, or prepare an infographic such as a flyer or a PowerPoint slide, or write an essay or even a poem, or make a 3-D printed object or a hand-crafted artefact, etc., which can tell a story about living, learning and connecting in the cyber or cyber-physical world in the past, at present, and/or in the future. You are also welcome to try generative AI for creating your submission, but in this case please describe which generative AI tool(s) were used and how you used it/them, e.g., prompt(s) you used to create the submission. Download competition flyer.

The deadline for submission is Friday 1 March 2024 23:59. We plan to announce the prize winners in late March 2024.

Who can enter

Submitted artefacts will be judged anonymously by a judging panel for the following prizes in the following four categories:

Current staff of the University of Kent
Current students of the University of Kent
Alumni of the University of Kent, and
Other UK residents who have never been affiliated with the University of Kent.

Cash prizes

4 Best Overall Prizes (one per category, £80 Amazon e-voucher per prize),
4 Most Creative Prizes (one per category, £80 Amazon e-voucher per prize), and
8 Runner-Up Prizes (two per category; £20 Amazon e-voucher per prize).

Find out more and submit your entry.

Events roundup: 22-28 January

Find out what’s on this week:

Monday 22 January: Career and application support

Thinking about finding a part-time job? Come along to this online session to find out what steps you can take to secure a part time role.

Making applications to graduate schemes, job roles, postgraduate study? Come to this session in Pilkington Building, Medway, to discover how to create and submit engaging and targeted applications.

Tuesday 23 January: The Big Fair and Income Office drop-in (Medway)

Discover sports, societies and volunteering opportunities at Kent Union’s Big Fair on Tuesday in the Main Hall, Sports Centre. You can also find out more about off-campus accommodation for next year and part-time jobs at Kent Union.

Are you having trouble paying your fees? On Tuesday there is a drop-in session for Medway students to meet with the Income Office on Medway campus and discuss any issue with payment of fees.

Wednesday 24 January: Medway Welcome Fair and January Global Hangout

Explore a diverse array of student societies, local services and campus resources at the Medway Welcome Fair on Wednesday. There will also be interactive booths and giveaways.

Join us for our January Global Hangout in Eliot Dining Hall (*location changed*) on Wednesday afternoon. Meet new friends from across the University and enjoy fun activities and free refreshments in a relaxed atmosphere.

Thursday 25 January: Multicultural Fashion Show (Medway)

Celebrating diversity, creativity, and the beauty of cultural expression, the Multicultural Fashion Show at the Hub showcases the rich tapestry of fashion from around the globe. Students are invited to take part by walking down the runway or being a spectator.

Friday 26 January: Welcome Back Chill Out Zone and Coping with Nerves and Anxiety for Presentations and Interviews

Join us in the Welcome Back Chill Out Zone in Darwin Conference Suite for some pizza, games and crafts to welcome back students from across Divisions. Open to all students.

Do you find presentations and interviews anxiety inducing? In this supportive and practical session, you will learn techniques based on mindfulness tools to conquer nerves and anxiety before and during presentations and interviews.

Saturday 27 January: Carbon Literacy Certification Training (Medway)

Develop your knowledge of climate change and addressing the worldwide climate crisis by taking accredited Carbon Literacy Training at Medway campus. The training is open and free to all students and on successful completion of the course you will receive official carbon literate certification from the carbon literacy Project.

See more student events.

Reminders:

In your final undergraduate year? The National Student Survey (NSS) opens today! Complete the survey and let us know what you liked and didn’t like about your time at Kent. Complete the survey now.
The deadline for submitting a religious observation request for the 2024 exam period is Friday 2 February 2024. Make a religious observation request.
Ofcom, the UK regulator for communications services, has noted a recent increase in reports of ‘number spoofing’. This is when scammers change their caller ID to disguise their identity from the person they are calling. Find out more and how you can protect yourself.
You can now borrow all Templeman Library laptops for up to 12 hours; and laptops from the self-service cabinet in the Library Café can be borrowed and used across the Canterbury campus. Find out more about the improved laptop loan service.

Laptop loans service expanded and enhanced

12 hour laptop loans now available to use on campus.

You can now borrow all Templeman Library laptops for up to 12 hours; and laptops from the self-service cabinet in the Library Café can be borrowed and used across the Canterbury campus. Chargers are available to borrow from the Welcome Desk, along with laptop bags if you’re using it outside the Library.

We’ve extended the loan period and expanded the places where the laptops can be used in response to student feedback, enhancing this popular service to better support your study needs #YourUniYourSay

Campus laptops: for use across campus

Laptops from the self-service cabinet in the Library Café can be borrowed and used across the Canterbury campus.

Library laptops: for Library use only

Laptops from the self-service cabinet on Floor 2, Block C, are restricted for use in the Templeman Library only.

Loan chargers and laptop bags

Chargers are available for loan from the Welcome Desk, along with laptop bags if you’re using it outside the Library.

How loan laptops work

Borrow loan laptops:
- For campus use: from laptop cabinet in the Café area (Ground floor, Block B)
- For Library use only: from laptop cabinet on Floor 2, Block C.
Use it: for up to 12 hours – the laptop works with wired and Bluetooth headphones.
- Need a charger or laptop bag? Pick one up from the Welcome Desk.
Save your files: to your University OneDrive so you can easily access them.
Return it: take it back to the cabinet and plug it in. If you have borrowed a charger and / or laptop bag as well, please return them to the Welcome Desk.

Any problems? Please take the laptop to IT & Library Support in Nexus, Ground Floor, Block D, so we can sort it out.

What’s included

All Office 365 tools
Internet access and webcam
Accessibility apps
Citation tools

What’s not provided

Course-specific software
Laptop accessories (eg mouse)
Speakers (they’re disabled)

The small print

Laptops loaned from the Café self-service cabinet can be used across the Canterbury campus.
Laptops loaned from the cabinet on Floor 2 are still restricted for use in the Templeman Library only.
If you don’t return the laptop at the end of the 12 hour loan period, there won’t be a fine – but you won’t be able to borrow any other items until you do!
If you lose the laptop, we will charge you for the replacement costs.

Please follow our laptop loans conditions of use and Library and IT regulations when using them.

Find out more

See our Laptop loans guide.

How can universities support your mental health? Tell us today and win a Smart Watch!

We want to ask you a few questions about your time at university, your experience with student services and/or your experiences at work. In this study, we will explore sensitive topics such as loneliness and mental health challenges you may be experiencing.

The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of student mental health and inform university student services and graduate employers on how they can support you. Share your thoughts today and help us enhance the student experience for you and your peers.

Start the survey now!

20% off Student Art Pass

Lock-in a year of art adventures for less + save 20% off a Student Art Pass today using code STUDENT20,

A Student Art Pass is your key to unlocking a whole of year of arts adventures for less, including: 250+ museum and gallery discounts, 50% off major exhibitions and exclusive career-boosting paid arts opportunities.

Use code: STUDENT20 at checkout.

Get your pass today.

Campus Shuttle update

From 15 January 2024, a new provider (Zeelo) is running our Campus Shuttle service between the Canterbury and Medway campuses.

The timetable isn’t changing but it will take some time to set up the new booking system. So for now, you just need to show your KentOne card (Student ID) to the driver to use the Campus Shuttle. There is no need to book.

Throughout the year we will be working with Zeelo to bring you a new and improved booking system as well as many more exciting developments to simplify how you use the service.

You can still follow the Campus Shuttle X page (formerly Twitter) for any significant shuttle disruptions.

Kent Sport activities: January free weeks

At Kent Sport, we want to help you meet those new year goals of being healthier and more active, and that’s why we’re bringing in our new promotion for January 2024; Free Weeks! For the first two weeks of January, we’ll be offering a range of activities each day for University of Kent students and staff to join in with, and they’re all absolutely free! So, kick-start your active 2024 with Kent Sport!

Each week, we’ll have a timetable of activities to join in with, from our popular fitness and dance group exercise classes to indoor and outdoor sports as part of our ALL Active programme.

Kent Sport Free Weeks will run from:

Week 1 – Tuesday 2 to Friday 5 January
Week 2 – Monday 8 to Friday 12 January

The available sessions:

There’s loads to get involved in during our Free Weeks at Kent Sport.

Group exercise timetables

We have a fabulous weekly timetable of in-person fitness and dance classes, including popular classes such as BodyPump, spinning, and Zumba. Or why not experience world-class Les Mills instructors with our Virtual Instructor timetable, featuring unique classes like Barre, The Trip, and BodyAttack.

View the fitness and dance class timetable.

ALL Active social sports

Our ALL Active programme is a weekly timetable of social, low-commitment sports and fitness activities for all ages and abilities. These sessions are aimed at those new to sport and fitness, with each session being guided by an experienced member of the Sports Development and Fitness teams. All equipment is provided at each session. Make sure you pick up a loyalty card and get a stamp for each session you attend!

View the ALL Active timetable.

ALL Active sessions are bookable through your online account (see information about creating a free Pay to Play membership below).

Please note that the This Girl Can sessions within the gym are women-only.

Here’s how it works:

Each day of the Free Weeks, there will be a range of activities already set up for you to join, including indoor social sports, fitness and dance classes, and some outdoor sports too.

To attend an event, you’ll need to book the activity you want to do either through your online booking account, or via the online sign-up form. We would advise booking your space in advance as spaces are limited per activity.

You’ll need to arrive at the activity location (either the Sports Centre or The Pavilion) at least 5 minutes prior to the start time to sign in at reception, and setup your space for some classes.

How to book an activity:

We welcome all University of Kent students and staff to join us during our Free Weeks. You’ll need to have a minimum of Kent Sport Pay to Play membership to book on to our free sessions – this is a free membership and is created automatically when you create your online booking account.

ALL Active sessions can be booked through your online account. Please note that Pay to Play members can book these sessions three days in advance.

Classes can be booked through our online booking forms*:

Week one class booking form

Week two class booking form

*Each class will be limited to 10 free spaces; however, we will monitor bookings and increase this number if required.

Student and staff Pay to Play members won’t be charged for attending our Free Week activities. If you attend activities not included in the Free Weeks (like using the gym), then you will be charged the Pay to Play per-session rate. See our membership webpage for more information.

Unfortunately, we won’t be able to send reminders for the Free Week sessions, so make sure you add them to your calendar once booked!

What you need to bring:

We’ll provide everything you need for our classes and social sports (rackets, balls, weights etc.). Just make sure you’re wearing suitable clothing and comfortable shoes (clean, non-marking please!), and we advise you also bring a water bottle. We have changing rooms, showers, and toilet facilities at both the Sports Centre and The Pavilion.

When you arrive at the Sports Centre or The Pavilion for your activity, please make sure you check in at reception.

If you have any questions about our Free Weeks, please contact us on sportsenquiries@kent.ac.uk or 01227 823 623.

We look forward to seeing you in the new year!

Love, actually is all around us

By Zoraya Yanar, Global Officer, studying Classics and an exchange student from New Mexico State University.

Zoraya shares with us her Christmas traditions and what this time of year means to her

Christmas, for me, as for so many others, is my favourite time of the year. It is a time to relax and be with family, I feel that I can be a kid again and forget about any worries I may have at the moment. The comfort and love that the holiday brings helps me to remember that things will be alright, because I have friends, family, and love.

As time passes and one grows older, it is easy to feel that the magic of Christmas has begun to dwindle away– which is why I believe it is important to have at least one Christmas tradition to keep you excited for the holiday and to keep reminding about what it is that you love so much about the season.

My own personal Christmas tradition is to pop a bag of popcorn, make hot chocolate, wear fuzzy socks and a warm blanket, and put on one of my favourite movies: Love Actually. The movie, which takes place during the Christmas season, follows eight London couples who are trying to navigate their relationships– it’s funny, but sad; wholesome, but vulgar, and everything in between. It shows love in all its forms and variations– romantic, familial, platonic, while also tackling love in the face of death and heartbreak. I personally relate to death and familial love because the same year that I first watched this film my grandfather passed away on the morning of Christmas Eve. It was a very hard time for my family, but I felt God was looking over us and chose the most appropriate time for us. It happened on a day that my entire family was already going to be together. What we all needed most in that moment was each other, and luckily we had it.

I usually spend Christmas in Mexico with family, or we, on occasion, spend it in Ruidoso, New Mexico — a cute, quaint village only a few hours from home which usually gets snow during the holidays. I am at Kent this term as an international student and this will be the first Christmas away from my extended family. I will, however, be spending it with my sisters and parents as they are coming to visit– I’m very excited to see them again and to get to spend it here. My love and nostalgia for Love Actually played a surprisingly big part in my decision to study abroad here during the winter term, so I’m very grateful for this time and opportunity. I get to see my family arrive at Heathrow Airport just as they do in the movie, and I’ll get to show them what Christmas in the UK is like. This term studying abroad has been the happiest I have ever been in my life and as sad as I am to see it come to an end, I know that good things are to come, and I think that Christmas and the New Year here will be a wonderful way to end my time here, at least for the time being.